Episode 129: Implications of the 2024 AASM Guidelines for Restless Legs Syndrome

Andy Berkowski, MD, PhD

Episode 129 of the NeurologyLive^® Mind Moments^® podcast is now live! Scroll down to listen or click here to subscribe on your favorite streaming service.

The Mind Moments podcast features exclusive interviews with leaders in the field discussing the latest research and disease management strategies across the breadth of neurology, including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, dementia, sleep disorders, and more.

In this episode, "Implications of the 2024 AASM Guidelines for Restless Legs Syndrome" Andy Berkowski, MD, PhD, founder of Relax Health, sat down to discuss the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's (AASM) recently published guideline update for the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS). Berkowski, who serves as a vice chair of the AASM's Practice Guidelines Task Force, provided clinical insight on the reasons behind the guidelines, pointing to the vast research advances and literature updates since its last iteration in 2012. Additionally, he touched on the greatest changes to the guidelines, noting things like the shift away from dopaminergic agents, the importance of iron in RLS pathophysiology, and the use of alpha-2-delta ligands and intravenous iron as first-line treatments. Berkowski also shared thoughts on how the guidelines impact care for patients of all ages, sexes, and RLS subtypes, as well as some of the more troubling parts of the guidelines to write and areas that were left unanswered. Furthermore, he gave his thoughts on how these guidelines will transform care going forward, including accelerating conversations on preventing RLS in many cases in the near future.

The stories featured in this week's Neurology News Minute, which will give you quick updates on the following developments in neurology, are further detailed here:

• Neurogene Reports Serious Adverse Event in Phase 1/2 Rett Study of Gene Therapy NGN-401
• Huntington Agent SAGE-718 to be Discontinued Following Disappointing Phase 2 DIMENSION Trial Results
• Alzheimer Agent Simufilam Fails to Meet Primary End Point in Phase 3 Study

EPISODE BREAKDOWN

• 1:10 – Reasons behind new guidelines, progress in clinical research
• 2:50 – Overview of the greatest changes to the guidelines and what treating physicians should key in on
• 11:25 – Neurology News Minute
• 13:40 – How the guidelines address management based on age, sex, and RLS subtype
• 16:30 – Challenges when drafting the guidelines and the unanswered questions that remain
• 20:10 – A promising future for treating, managing, and preventing RLS

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REFERENCE
1. Winkelman JW, Berkowski JA, DelRosso LM, et al. Treatment of restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline. J Clin Sleep Med. Published online September 26, 2024. doi:10.5664/jcsm.11390